2026 MSAC Football Preview: Spring Valley

Spring Valley Football

Spring Valley swept the Gold Division, won seven games and hosted a playoff game — the best season by any MSAC team outside Class AAAA.

The Program at a Glance

Spring Valley went 7–3 and 4–0 in the MSAC Gold Division in 2025, winning the division outright. The Timberwolves were the No. 6 seed in Class AAA and hosted No. 11 Elkins (7–3) in the first round. Eventually losing inn the semifinals to the 2025 AAA champions. Princeton.

2025 in Review

Head Coach

2026 Schedule

Coach’s Interview

As head coach at Spring Valley, there's really nothing new out there. Yeah. You know, you kind of got your feet firmly on the ground. What have you seen from your kids so far in this preseason camp?

Coach Brad Dingess   

You know the work ethic is there, the team camaraderie is there. You know I think we got pretty good culture in the locker room. Our seniors have done a really good job of being leaders of this team. You know we lost a lot last year to graduation. Didn't have very many kids coming back, but the hunger's there. The kids that are practicing hard. You know, we're concentrating every day on trying to get better at something, and it showed. I think we've improved a lot, especially since the first day we come out as a full team in August.

You know, philosophy in Spring Valley. Y'all are known for running the ball. And you're not gonna get away from that this year. From scheme perspective, what's the main focal point going into the opening game against George Washington?

Coach Brad Dingess 

 George Washington is a tough opponent, and Coach Edwards does a really good job with them, and they're a really good team. So, like you said, we're going to run the football. I mean, that's that's our that's what we want to do, and we're a base wing T football team. So we're, you know, we'll expand from that. I think we're going to be expand it and spread it a little bit more than what we did last year. We were kind of rub two tights all the time. I mean, we I think we've got a little bit better athletes in the back end on defense and some more skill kids that can we can throw the ball to. But you know we're going to try to control the clock and shorten the game and you know hopefully cause some turnovers and try to capitalize on those. But you know, we're young and we're we're learning. We're green in a lot of spots. But you know, that's what we do is is kind of smash mouth football. We might not be the flashiest or fun to watch, but you know, we that's kind of our philosophy is to go out and you know be really physical and let you know that you played Spring Valley after you play.

What's the you know energy been like from your team? You know you had your first two scrimmages. Now the first game this Friday. I'm sure they ready out there and just hit somebody.

Coach Brad Dingess 

Yeah, it. I think they're a little excited. They could probably play tonight. I know we're not ready as far as game plan and all that, but you know, I thought from the first scrimmage to the second scrimmage, we improved a lot. There was a lot of stuff that we didn't do well in that first scrimmage, and really concentrated on that last week in practice and got a lot better. And you know, there's some things after we scrimmage Park South that we need to work on, and we're going to concentrate on those. And you know, obviously, get ready for our opponent and you know scheme that up. But we just need to be the best version of ourselves when we come to play Friday night.

What are you looking at from from your upperclassmen? From a  leadership point of view in leading the freshmen and sophomores?

Coach Brad Dingess 

Just lead by example. Know how to practice. Know how to prepare. Know how to you know work on your craft and master it and get better. There's a big difference between an 18-year-old and a 15-year-old, and you know we've got a lot of seniors that were backups and played special teams and played some JV, but they played a lot of football, and you know we're counting on those guys, whether they're starters or role players. But to lead by example, and it's different when the lights come on on Friday night, and a lot of these guys have never really experienced that, so they really need to lead those young kids and really by example of what it takes to win a football game on Friday night.

Absolutely, home field advantage. I think of all the MSAC schools, you're probably the only one with a grass field. Yeah, you know, how do y'all use that to y'all's advantage?

Coach Brad Dingess   

I mean, you see what we're practicing on up here; it's like a hayfield sometimes, but it plays different. I mean, you cut on it and different, but I mean, we got to a bermuda  field, so it it plays really plays a lot better than what it used to, but you know it's it's somethin g I think it's more of in the other teams' heads more than ours when it comes into it. Our kids are used to it. It's really kind of almost a disadvantage when we go play on turf because we haven't practiced on it or anything like that. So, but you know it's a tough place to play. We've got a pretty good record at home, and teams have to travel to get here. It's you know anytime you got to get on a school bus and go travel and play, it's tough, especially in this conference. So we like to defend our turf just as much as everybody else, but I think it plays into hands. I think we're the biggest school in the state that doesn't have turf, so that says something right there.

You talked about MSAC. My opinion, probably the toughest conference in the state. Yeah. Week in, week out, you know, it's a tough opponent, and but this is your second year in AAA since the realignment. In my opinion, it obviously makes it somewhat tougher to make it to the playoffs. What what challenges does the MSAC opponent present to you, and how does that prepare you for the postseason?

Coach Brad Dingess 

Ah, I mean we're still. I think we got six AAAA opponents still on our schedule, so we're this should be the last year of that before we get the majority Triple A. But I mean we're battle tested. We'll play anybody. I mean one of our non-conference games we picked up. We signed a four-year deal with Bridgeport. So, you know, I'm one of those believers that I mean, you've got to you got to beat the best to be the best. And you know, when we were the old original 3A, we we we played a home and home series with Martinsburg. We'll play anybody that I feel like can make us better. And but our conference, you got to come to play. I don't care who the opponent is. A lot of the guys that are that are in our conference that has losing records, if they weren't in the conference and playing another schedule, they would be playoff teams. So that tells you how talented and well coached this conference is from top to bottom.

How excited are you to get this season off and kicked off on Friday?

Coach Brad Dingess 

I've been around the block a couple times, but you know, as a coach, just being around the greatest team sport game I think there is. It gets you excited. I mean, it's like Christmas Day all over again at the beginning. So, you know, just seeing these kids fight through adversity, work together as a team, and get better and get play on Friday night is rewarding. And I couldn't ask for a bunch of better kids. I wouldn't want to coach anywhere else. And you know, the community, the school's great, and you know, we're just excited.

Coach, thank you.

Coach Brad Dingess 

Thanks.

The Takeaway

Though still in need of improvement in many areas, Dingess has seen progress from preseason's start and thinks his team is headed in the right direction heading into the season. But after 19 years as head coach, Dingess still looks forward to each new year and continues to appreciate everything that comes with coaching high school football.